IPPN

Published: 17 February 2010

Minister O’Keeffe’s view on recent school closures and time lost
Those of you who attended IPPN’s conference in Citywest will have been heartened by a number of things Minister O’Keeffe said in his address to  Principals. He regards the substitute cover provided by his department to allow Principals attend the annual IPPN Conference as value for money. Minister O’Keeffe also stated that ‘as professionals and school leaders, you have an opportunity to take some time out from your otherwise hectic day-to-day schedules to reflect on the broader, more fundamental themes in education’. He also acknowledged the crucial and constructive role that Principals played in their school communities during the recent bad weather. He then outlined how his Department would treat the issue of time lost, as follows:

'I am glad to say that, due to your foresight, good sense and hard work, the adverse weather has passed without major incident or accident in schools. There has been some public focus on how time lost can be made up. My officials have discussed the position recently with the education partners at primary and post-primary level. Decisions about how to deal with any impact on teaching and learning arising from closure is best determined at the level of each individual school. I have already indicated that I am not going to be dogmatic with schools on the issue.

While there is a procedure in Department circulars that requires schools in the normal course to seek Department sanction for any deficits that cannot be made up, I think we have to recognise that this has not been a normal year and that the appropriate response of the Department in the circumstances is to trust school boards and you, as school Principals, to do your level best in the time left to minimise any risk that may exist to getting through the year's programme. I recognise however, that there are practical constraints to consider which can limit the scope for making up those days, particularly at this stage of the school year. I would ask, however, that schools consult and communicate with their parent body - first by seeking to elicit and input the views of parents into the decision-making process and then to provide feedback to parents on what can be done'.

As is evident above, the Minister clearly points out that this has been an exceptional year and it is a matter for each Board of Management to ensure that the programme is completed.

It is interesting to note that when Minister O’ Keeffe was asked what he would like to be remembered for, he responded that investment in school leadership and disadvantage were top of his list.  As eternal optimists, we must live in hope.

Summer Courses 2010
Some confusion has recently arisen in relation to Summer Courses 2010.

IPPN would like to clarify the following information for Principals:

• The closing date of 1st March refers solely to summer course providers, who must submit applications for course approval to the DES by that date. It does not apply to Principals or teachers who wish to participate in a course
• A summer sourse booklet will not be issued in hard-copy format to schools in 2010.  Instead all details of approved summer courses  will be published on-line in cúrsaí samhraidh 2010, which will be accessible later at http://www.ecdrumcondra.ie/

Is sinne le meas

Virginia O’Mahony & Pat Goff